In the US states that license online casinos, a bonus is a regulated promotion. The casino files its terms with the state regulator, must spell out the playthrough by game type, the eligible games, the order your money is used in and any withdrawal limits, and cannot cap your winnings once you meet the terms. The offers themselves are set by each casino and change often, so the details below describe the rules and the typical shape, not any current deal. To test a real offer, put its terms into the wagering requirement calculator.
Where these rules apply
Real-money online casinos are legal in only a handful of states. The rules on this page come from three of the largest, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan; each licensing state writes its own rules, so check your state’s regulator for the details where you play. casinonline.us.com keeps a state-by-state guide to where online casino play is legal.
The minimum age is 21 in every licensing state whose rules we checked: New Jersey (N.J.A.C. 13:69O-1.3), Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia, Connecticut and Delaware. Maine has enacted a law authorizing online casino gaming for its federally recognized tribes, also with a minimum age of 21 (8 M.R.S. chapter 39); as of October 2026 its regulator was still consulting on the rules, with no launch date set.
Sweepstakes and social casinos are not licensed under these online casino rules, so none of the protections below applies to their coin bonuses.
What the terms must say
The three states use near-identical lists. Before a promotion runs, the operator must file its terms with the regulator, five business days ahead in New Jersey (N.J.A.C. 13:69O-1.12) and five days ahead in Pennsylvania (58 Pa. Code § 813a.3). The terms must cover, at a minimum:
- the start and end dates and any time limits
- who can take part and any participation limits
- the wagering requirements and limits by type of game
- the order in which your funds are applied to bets
- the eligible games
- any restrictions on withdrawals
- how the promotion can be cancelled
They must be clear, conspicuous and in plain language, and stay available to you until the promotion is complete. Michigan’s version is R 432.649. Pennsylvania’s regulator has also issued guidance (December 2025) saying its staff review promotional terms to make sure they are not false, misleading or deceptive, and expect them in layman’s terms and full sentences (PGCB guidance 2025-05).
How large can a playthrough be?
No state sets a maximum multiple in its rules. New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement drew a line in its 2023 advertising standards: unrealistic promotional wagering requirements should not be offered, and its example was that a player receiving a $1,000 bonus should not be expected to wager $150,000, which is 150x (NJ DGE advertising standards). The same document says advertising must not be misleading, for instance by calling bets “risk free” when players deposit their own money and are not fully compensated for losses.
The calculator shows why 150x would be unrealistic. On a 96% RTP slot, 150x on a $1,000 bonus means $150,000 of betting with an expected cost of $6,000, six times the bonus.
The shape of a typical regulated welcome offer
We read one large regulated operator’s published welcome terms (as of late 2025, in New Jersey, Michigan, West Virginia and Pennsylvania) as a worked example. They are not a recommendation, and terms change.
| Term | What it said | What it means in the calculator |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit match | 100% match with a 15x playthrough, worked as 15 times the bonus | Basis: bonus only. Multiple: 15 |
| No-deposit credit | A small credit at 1x | Multiple: 1. Expected cost: 4% of the credit at 96% RTP |
| Eligible games | Selected slots only | Contribution 100% on an eligible slot, 0% elsewhere |
| Time limit | 7 days from opting in, unfinished bonuses forfeited | Check the time figure fits the week |
| Order of funds | Deposit tied to the bonus, then bonus funds, then bonus winnings | Your own money is in play first |
Run those numbers: a $100 match at 15x on the bonus costs about $60 to clear on a 96% slot, leaving roughly $40 of value on average, and takes 1,500 spins at $1. At the 25x break-even multiple for a 96% game it would be worth nothing on average. The bonus value guide compares several shapes.
Rules that work in your favor
- No cap on cleared winnings. Once you meet the terms, a licensed casino in New Jersey, Pennsylvania or Michigan cannot cap or limit what you won in the promotion.
- A way out. New Jersey and Michigan require a clear way to cancel a promotion that uses restricted credits, with your unrestricted funds returned under the terms.
- Limit tools and help. Licensed casinos in New Jersey and Pennsylvania must let you set deposit, spend and time limits; setting session limits covers how they work. Pennsylvania’s list of required promotion terms even includes the 1-800-GAMBLER helpline.
None of this makes a bonus profitable. It makes the terms readable, which is what lets you put real numbers into a calculator before you opt in.
Common questions
Are online casino bonuses regulated in the US?
In the states that license online casinos, yes. New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan, for example, require operators to file promotional terms with the regulator before launch, to state wagering requirements by game type in plain language, and not to cap winnings once the terms are met.
What is a typical playthrough at a regulated US online casino?
It varies by operator and changes often. As one example, a large regulated operator's welcome terms published in late 2025 used 15x on a deposit match, playable on selected slots within 7 days, alongside a small no-deposit credit at 1x. Always check the current terms.
How old do you have to be to claim an online casino bonus in the US?
21 in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia, Connecticut and Delaware, the licensing states whose rules we checked. The casino must verify your age before you can play.